Requirements

You use the 'Requirements' tab of the element 'Properties' dialog to create requirements that the element is being designed to meet. Requirements are of two types:

Internal requirements (responsibilities) and

External requirements (system requirements, elements connected to the current element by Realize connectors)

The 'Requirements' tab lists both types, although you edit the properties of the external Requirement elements through their own element 'Properties' dialog.

You can show the internal requirements for an element on a diagram directly, using the element 'Feature and Compartment Visibility' function; it is also possible to show inherited requirements in this way.

Access

On a diagram or in the Project Browser, select an element and:

Ribbon

Design > Element > Manage > Properties > Requirements

Design > Element > Manage > Specific Properties Page > Requirements

Context Menu

Right-click on element | Properties > Requirements or

Right-click on element | Properties Page | Requirements

Keyboard Shortcuts

Alt+Enter : Requirements

Shift+Alt+R

Other

Double-click on Element : Requirements

Define internal Requirements

Field/Button

Action

See also

Requirement

Type in the name and/or short definition of the requirement.

This text will display on the element on a diagram, if the visibility is set to show internal requirements.

In this panel, click on the 'Value' field against each property, click on the drop-down arrow and select the appropriate setting:

Status - select the current status of the requirement

Difficulty - select the value that most closely reflects the difficulty of implementing the current requirement

Priority - select the value that best indicates how urgent the requirement is

Stability - select the value that provides the best indication of the probability of the requirement - or understanding of the requirement - changing; high stability indicates a low probability of the requirement changing

Type - select the value that most accurately reflects the type or function of the requirement; Functional requirements are things that the system must do, such as identify franked, unfranked and total credit for a dividend; Non-functional requirements are things that the system must be, such as reliable or cost effective

The 'Last Updated' field shows the date on which the requirement was last changed and saved.

New

Click on this button to clear the fields or set them to default values, so that you can create a new internal requirement.

Save

Click on this button to save your changes to the currently-selected requirement.

Delete

Click on this button to delete the requirement currently selected in the Requirement list.

List

Lists the requirements associated with the current element. For each requirement, the list shows:

The requirement's name/short description

The requirement type, and

Whether the requirement is an external Requirement element

The external Requirement element can be an internal requirement that has been converted to an external one, or an independent external Requirement that has then been connected to the current element.

To convert an internal requirement to an external Requirement element, right-click on the requirement in the list and select the 'Move External' menu option.